Proxy apparatus and method for streaming media information and for increasing the quality of stored media information

Abstract

A proxy apparatus and method for streaming media information via at least one network and for building-up a good quality version of the media information. When a user device communicates with the proxy apparatus using a particular bandwidth and requests that media information be provided from a media server, the proxy apparatus first determines if a version of the media information encoded for the user device's connection bandwidth has been stored in the proxy apparatus. If a version of the media information encoded for the user device's bandwidth is not available from the proxy apparatus, the proxy apparatus sends a request to a media server for the media information. Once the media server receives the request, the media server begins to stream a copy of the media information encoded for the user device's bandwidth to the user device via the network and proxy device. If a version of the media information for the bandwidth is not available from the media server, the version for the largest bandwidth that does not exceed the bandwidth of the user device connection, is streamed to the user device. If the version of the media information has missing packets, the proxy device sends retransmission requests to the media server to obtain the missing packets, thereby building-up a good quality version of the media information.

1. A method of increasing a quality of streamed media information, comprising:
 streaming media information from a media server to a gateway proxy device; 
 storing a first copy of the media information in a storage device not directly connected to the media server, the first copy of the media information missing information present in a complete copy of the media information, the first copy of the media information automatically requested responsive to a user request for the media information, the first copy of the media information associated with a first bandwidth, the gateway proxy device adapted to transmit the first copy of the media information responsive to the user request, the gateway proxy device adapted to automatically request a second copy of the media information from the media server, the automatic request responsive to a meta tag that identifies other versions of the media information that are present on the media server, the second copy of the media information being a second version of the media information associated with a second bandwidth; 
 sending a request to the media server for the missing information, the request responsive to an automatic determination that network congestion is below a predetermined threshold, the network congestion determined via a measured delay of a media server ping; 
 receiving the missing information; and 
 storing the missing information to form a third copy of the media information in the storage device. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more versions of the media information stored in the storage device that are missing information specified to be comprised by the media information; and 
 performing the sending and receiving steps for each of the one or more versions of the media information. 
 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the one or more versions of the media information includes at least one of determining if a list of missing data packets is associated with the one or more versions of the media information and determining if a missing data packet flag is set. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the request to the media server includes identifying missing data packets in the media information and sending a request for only the identified missing data packets. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the request to the media server includes requesting transmission of the entire media information. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein storing the missing information includes rewriting the entire retransmitted media information over the copy of the media information in the storage device. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein storing the missing information includes:
 storing the entire retransmitted media information in the storage device; 
 comparing a number of missing data packets in the entire retransmitted media information with a number of missing data packets in the copy of the media information; and 
 retaining either the entire retransmitted media information or the copy of the media information in the storage device, whichever has fewer missing data packets. 
 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media information includes at least one of video and audio information. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the missing information specified to be comprised by the media information is identified while the media information is streamed from the media server to a user device. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the gateway proxy device is adapted to automatically determine the age of the first copy of the media information and determine when to request an periodic update of the first copy of the media information. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first copy of the media information is periodically automatically updated. 
   
   
     12. An apparatus that increases a quality of streamed media information, comprising:
 a controller; and 
 a storage device not directly connected to a media server, wherein media information is streamed from the media server to the storage device and a copy of the media information is stored in the storage device, the copy automatically requested responsive to a user request for the media information and a meta tag that identifies other versions of the media information that are present on the media server, the user request for a first version of the media information associated with a first bandwidth, the copy a second version of the media information associated with a second bandwidth, the first version of the media information missing information present in a complete version of the media information, and wherein the controller sends a request to the media server for the missing information, receives the missing information, and stores the missing information in the storage device, the request responsive to an automatic determination that network congestion is below a predetermined threshold, the network congestion determined via a measured delay of a media server ping. 
 
   
   
     13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller identifies one or more versions of the media information stored in the storage device missing information specified to be comprised by the media information and sends a request for each of the one or more versions of the media information. 
   
   
     14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller identifies one or more versions of the media information by at least one of determining if a list of missing data packets is associated with the one or more versions of the media information and determining if a missing data packet flag is set. 
   
   
     15. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller sends the request to the media server by identifying missing data packets in the media information and the request is for only the identified missing data packets. 
   
   
     16. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller sends the request to the media server by requesting an entire retransmission of the media information. 
   
   
     17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the controller stores the missing information specified to be comprised by the media information in the storage device by rewriting the entire retransmitted media information over the copy of the media information in the storage device. 
   
   
     18. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the controller stores the missing information specified to be comprised by the media information in the storage device by:
 storing the entire retransmitted media information in the storage device; 
 comparing a number of missing data packets in the entire retransmitted media information with a number of missing data packets in the copy of the media information; and 
 retaining either the entire retransmitted media information or the copy of the media information in the storage device, whichever has fewer missing data packets. 
 
   
   
     19. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the media information includes at least one of video and audio information. 
   
   
     20. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller identifies the missing information specified to be comprised by the media information while the media information is streamed from the media server to a user device. 
   
   
     21. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the controller is adapted to automatically determine the age of the first copy of the media information and determine when to request a periodic update of the first copy of the media information. 
   
   
     22. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the first version of the media information is periodically automatically updated.